In re-examining the crystalline rocks of the Malvern Hills, the senior author has had occasion to apply quantitative spectroscopic data for the rarer constituents of hornblendes and micas. The recognition of silver in the spectrograms of biotite led to tentative fire-assays of granitic rocks in bulk-a procedure which revealed the presence also of gold.

The assay results for this preliminary suite of granitic types are given below; values less than 5 grains per ton are returned as 'traces':

The higher values appear to be related to the reddening of the felspars, which is a widespread 'late' pneumatolytic effect; it is conspicuous in the major granite masses and related pegmatites, but somewhat local and 'arterial' in its distribution over rocks of pre granite age. Among the igneous rocks of post-granite age, the intrusive granophyric quartz-diabase ('Ivy Scar' type) shows only feeble reddening; the newer dolerites are unaffected.